Yvette's French House (sold)

6x8, oil on canvas panel, 45.00, Daily Paintworks

All my life I've dreamed of painting with a French painter in a French setting, and last Tuesday I finally got my wish.   Yvette, our hostess, is really French.   The French blue shutters were a portent to the French flavor inside...a really lovely house.

 Since I knew the light would not last, I decided just to do a small painting of a corner of the house.  Of course I took photos for future studio paintings

Ocean View (sold)

12x12, oil on canvas panel, 85.00, Daily Paintworks

I have painted this scene before, but like this one better.  I had the most fun getting all those colors on the cliff.  Of course, the cliff was not that colorful, but that's why we paint--to make everything more interesting than it is.  Otherwise, a photograph would do.

Calm (sold)

8x8. oil on canvas panel, 90.00, on Daily Paintworks this Saturday


http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/connie-snipes/622160d8-b3be-4b1f-88fd-3992c1d4c951


A small study in preparation for a larger (20x20) painting.  I have always wanted  to paint larger paintings, but have spent most of my time on smaller ones for the blog.  I have blocked in the larger one and will show it when it is finished.  Below is a photo of the block in.

20x20, oil on stretched canvas

Sometimes I like the block ins better than the completed painting--they have more energy.  I will probably only clarify some of the shapes on this and zone in a little on the center of interest.

Water, Rocks, and Trees (sold)

9x12, oil on canvas panel, 100.00,  Daily Paintworks on Thursday

Creeks are among my favorite subjects to  paint.  Now that our weather is getting so glorious, I need to get out and paint more, and take extra photos for rainy days.  I'm just waiting for the leaves to come out--I'm weary of painting those leafless trees!  On another note,  I'm throwing out grass seed today as it will rain tomorrow.  All  is good!

Small Pond, Fairview, NC (sold)

6x6, oil on canvas panel, 50.00, on Daily Paintworks on Tuesday

Remember those little "motor courts" that were common years ago?  This is one, currently in business, and quite popular.  I stopped there on the way to a painting workshop and took a few photos.  There were cottages all around, but since I was not staying there I didn't want to explore too much. 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/connie-snipes/7d070bf3-a733-4abb-b7dc-d93639ca876e

A Windy Day in March

8x8, oil on canvas panel, 50.00, Daily Paintworks

The Plein Air Buds and I painted at a local park--on a windy day with a chill in the air.  I would like to think I am such a devoted painter that I can paint in all types of discomfort, but I would turn into a whiny baby if I did not show some restraint.  The scene was rather bare with no logical focal point, so I added the boats later in my studio.

February Farm Buildings(sold)

6x6. oil on canvas panel

This painting is a study for a larger painting.  I like the idea of making the center of interest (main barn) tighter and more colorful, then loosening up as I work out from that spot.

This painting will be on Daily Paintworks on Tuesday--auction status.

For the Salad

6x6, oil on canvas panel

For all the red devotees out there, especially you, Beth!


http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/connie-snipes/f4af2e25-3223-4ae1-86ee-7f5784bab330

Deep Water (sold)

12x12, oil on canvas panel

This is a studio piece that I've painted off and on for several days, and it's been through several metamorphoses.  I began with red, yellow, and rose, then added blue, than got rid of the red and added orange, blah, blah, blah.  Oil paint is the perfect medium for changing shapes and colors--afterall, it's just paint!

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/connie-snipes/5458be78-6abd-4666-bc0b-9c65b10e93b0

An Apple for You

6x6, oil on canvas panel

I'm on a fruit roll.   Thinking about tomatoes tomorrow.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/connie-snipes/547ad8f0-6135-4469-8640-59dce3ae47b6

A Pear for You (sold)

6x6, oil on canvas panel

It seems that in the past few years, pears have been an ever popular painting subject--so often painted they may have even tipped over into the cliche category.  I love pears, love to look at them, love to eat them, and love to paint them, but I have tried to show some restraint and not paint them too often.  So here is a pear for you and me, and I shall not paint another for at least a few months!

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/connie-snipes/fd0ef471-430b-439c-8ee2-c3e43a84a89b
Thank you to all who wished me well last week.  I am feeling much better and plan to paint every day.

Winner

I am "under the weather" this week.  Just wanted to announce that Rhoda emailed me the winner's name for the painting giveaway.  Congratulations to Andrea who choose The Garden Shed. Andrea, I will get the painting off to you as soon as I feel better.

1771 House, Charlotte History Museum (sold)

If you are looking for the painting giveaway with Rhoda, please look at the post prior to this one.

8x10, oil on canvas panel

This is en plein air painting with many changes.  The house was build in 1771, composed of rock, but seems oddly contemporary.  I did not want to get involved with picky rock details so I left that out and changed the color to white.  The building beside the house was a log cabin kitchen.  Kitchens were always built separate from the house because of fire danger.  The log cabin looked dull (it was not a sunny day that morning) so I presto-chango-ed it into a shed of some sort--an opportunity for more shape and color.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/outofpopup/38ff3380-cbaf-4ddc-bfdc-b6f4314bb92d

Painting Giveaway

If you are here from Rhoda's blog, welcome!  A giveaway is a new adventure for me, and I am looking forward to "meeting" all you new people.

If you are a regular reader, please know that you are appreciated and valued.  Some of you are here every day and some of you have become good friends, and I love that.

Here's the drill:  Peruse the 3 paintings below and choose one you would like to hang in your house, then go to Rhoda's blog and leave a comment.  http://southernhospitalityblog.com/
Rhoda will select a random comment on Friday and send me the name to publish.

Note: Rhoda will have her post up on Monday.

The Garden Shed
11x14
Oil on canvas panel

Wing Haven Garden, Charlotte, NC
8x10
Oil on canvas panel

Noda Garden Shed
8x10
Oil on canvas panel

Landscape Abstraction

12x12, oil on canvas

I am beginning to lean slightly to abstraction in my painting, as well as pushing the color.  I doubt that I will ever become so abstract that the subject is not recognizable, but I do love "playing with the paint" so that texture, lines, color, and shapes become more interesting.  I have another painting on the easel, inspired by the same photograph, but quite different.  I'll post that one next week when it's finished.

I'm expecting company for a long weekend, so I won't be posting again until next week.  Please come back on Monday to enter the give away, sponsored by Rhoda of  Southern Hospitality and me.  If you win, you choose from three paintings.

To the Koi Pond

9x11, oil on canvas panel

I was in New Orleans on a home and garden tour when I spotted this little pathway of stones in water...not sure how they managed that!  To the right side there was a building of some sort and on the left just a wonderful jungle of plants.  It really needed to be painted.

Sometime this week I will be linking with Rhoda of Southern Hospitality blog for a painting giveaway.  Of course, you, the regular reader, are invited to participate....and I hope you will!

Rock and Water

10x10, oil on canvas panel

This was painted on Tuesday with my Plein Air Painters group.  It was a cold, windy day, and most of us elected to paint on the host's porch which afforded some shield from the wind.  I saw nothing I was excited about painting, so borrowed a photo from one of the painters.  I believe this is from the California coast.

The Pond at Squirrel Park, Matthews, NC

8x8, oil on canvas  panel

 I painted at Squirrel Park (isn't that a cute name?) last week.  The park has a small pond, a small creek with rocks and a trickle of water, a short hiking trail, but no squirrels were seen.  I suppose they were cozied up in their home in the tree munching on some delicious nuts.  It was a cool and overcast day--a good day for practicing painting with grays.

Yellow House, Blue Trim

6x8, oil on canvas panel

This yellow house was spotted when I was in St. Andrews, Canada.  It was perched high on a rock, but I decided to leave it out.  I plan to paint it again with the rocks and a  different composition and format.

I am listing many of my old paintings at big reductions on eBay. If you would like to take a look, go to eBay and find me at conniesnipes2007.

1800's Barn

8x8, oil on canvas panel

As the title says, this barn was built in the early 1800's.  It was torn down the week after I painted it.  It resided on a working farm outside Charlotte, NC., and was loaded with pre-schoolers on a tour the day I was there.  There's plenty of scenes left to paint and I plan to go back in the Spring.

I am listing many of my old paintings at big reductions on eBay.  If you would like to take a look, go to eBay and find me at conniesnipes2007.

Window at the Mint

8x10, oil on canvas panel

The Mint Museum was first opened in 1936, and it was the first art museum in North Carolina!  It was originally a US Mint which is, or course, responsible for its name.  A new Mint Museum has been added to uptown Charlotte and it is wonderful, but I still love the old Mint.  The new Mint is arts and crafts.  There is a turned bowl by Matt Moultrop, a former student of mine.  The Moultrop turned wooden bowls began with Matt's grandfather, who was also a lawyer.  His son, also a lawyer, began making the bowls, and now his son, Matt, has carried on the family tradition.

Beautiful Afternoon Weather

9x11, oil on canvas panel

Happy New Year to you all!  It will interesting to see what 2012 will bring.

I spent last week in Charleston--a birthday gift from my family--we had a wonderful  time.

One morning we all went out gallery hopping.  My favorite was Wells, also loved Smith-Killian, and Horton Hayes.  Plan to see many Charleston paintings because I took about a billion photos.

This painting is on Daily Paintworks.  Click on the icon to the right and type in my name to see.

Baxter Office Building, Fort Mill, SC (sold)

8x10, oil on canvas panel

I painted this in the charming development called Baxter in Fort Mill, SC.  There are over 2000 houses and condos, along with a main street with stores, restaurants, and offices.  I was painting what I thought was a house, but it was actually an orthodontist office.  One of the doctors walked out and bought my painting to give to the other doctor for Christmas. 

This was one of the Tuesday morning plein air activities I do with about 12 other painters.  We always have lunch afterwards and discuss art and also solve the world's problems.  The restaurant owner is going to give us a showing this spring, so we will go back to Baxter and paint more before than.

My sister and her husband are coming for Christmas and will stay a while after the holiday, so I will not be posting any for about a week and a half.  I have been painting and have much to show.  However, we have rain today and the rest of the week, so I can't take good photos.

Here's wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Connie

Broken Windows

8x10. oil on canvas panel

I chanced upon this old building with most of the windows  broken out.  The light was just right, reflecting a nice blue in the remaining windows.  I thought it strange that none of the windows matched.  Perhaps it was a do-it-yourself with whatever windows were available.

Computer

My computer in at the manufactor's hospital getting a new motherboard.  I am using an old computer and cannot download photos, so I will not be posting art until my computer's return--probably in 2 weeks. 

My best wishes for happy holidays at your house!

Connie